Choosing a janitorial service may sound easy, but think of this:
Your cleaning service will be in your facility after hours and
unsupervised. So it's important to find a service that not
only does a good job but is trustworthy and reliable.
The Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA)
International offers these tips:

Develop a list of specifications. List the areas
that need to be cleaned and what you expect the service to do
(dusting surfaces, emptying trash cans, vacuuming floors, cleaning
glass doors and so on), along with how often. Indicate the minimum
qualifications you require, such as experience, references and
insurance. You may want to use this list to develop a questionnaire
for initial screening.

Prepare a request for proposal (RFP) to obtain bids from
contractors that pass your initial screening. Be sure the
RFP includes square footage, counts of fixtures and other
specifications. The contractor should examine the premises before
submitting a bid.

Prepare a request for qualifications (RFQ) to ascertain
the professional qualifications, background and experience of the
bidder. Ask for client references, financial references,
evidence of workers' compensation and liability insurance
coverage, details on the company's hiring practices, training
and supervision methods, and a list of facilities you can
inspect.

Develop a scoring system to evaluate bidders'
proposals. According to a recent BOMA survey, the three
most important criteria in selecting a cleaning contractor are
experience, price and references.

Jacquelyn Lynn is a business writer in Winter Park,
Florida.

Collect Call

You've got outstanding bills customers just aren't
paying . . . how much effort should you make to
get your money? It depends on the amount of the bill and the cost
involved in collections. You need to recognize when you've
reached the point of diminishing returns and it's time to write
off the invoice as uncollectible.

Stan De Groot, national financial services manager for Wesco
Distribution Inc., a Pittsburgh-based distributor of electrical and
industrial supplies, suggests calculating what your in-house
collection steps cost. Those steps include issuing past-due
statements and making telephone calls or personal visits. Then
consider your margins and what your actual losses will be if you
write off the invoice.

With this information, you can set some general guidelines. For
example, balances under a particular amount will get a certain
number of letters and calls before they're written off.
Balances at a higher level may merit stronger efforts, including
outside collection activity.

A collection agency can help you determine what balances are too
small to pursue vigorously. Agencies typically work on a percentage
of what they collect, and they know how much collection efforts
cost.

When you decide to declare an invoice uncollectible, you may be
able to use that loss to reduce your taxes on other income. Check
with your tax advisor first, though; the IRS and state revenue
departments have guidelines that include some time limitations and
require you to prove you made a good- faith effort to collect.

The Lease You Can Do

Even a one-person homebased business can enjoy the benefits of
employee leasing. With employee leasing, you--and any employees you
have--become employees of the leasing firm; your company then
leases your services by paying a fee, which is typically the amount
of your salary, taxes, benefits and administrative costs.

The number of leased employees in the United States is expected
to exceed 4 million this year, which gives employee leasing
companies a tremendous amount of negotiating power when it comes to
insurance and other benefits, which are passed on to you. Dale
Hageman, president of Accord Human Resources Inc., an employee
leasing firm in Oklahoma City, says it's possible that the
savings you'll realize in insurance costs alone will offset the
administrative fees the leasing company charges. The leasing
company also processes all your payroll-related tax requirements,
giving you more time to focus on your business. "If you can
more productively use your time to produce revenue and build your
business, then you can benefit by outsourcing functions like
payroll and tax administration to an employee leasing
company," Hageman says.

Leasing companies can be found under "Employment
Services--Employee Leasing" in the Yellow Pages. Hageman
suggests asking other small-business owners for recommendations,
then checking out leasing companies before signing up.

A Case Of The Blues

Every business experiences tough times--a big client takes its
business elsewhere, you need to lay off employees, or you're in
a cash crunch and can't offer raises. When hard times hit your
company, you or your employees may suffer from depression. Left
unattended, business-related depression can suck the enthusiasm and
energy out of everyone involved--and, in turn, make matters worse
for your business. So as you concentrate on pulling the business
through the hard times, don't overlook your organization's
emotional needs.

Open and honest communication with employees about the status of
the company is essential, according to Nancy Garbett, president of
Transition Management Inc., a management consulting firm in Salt
Lake City. "Employees need to understand what changes are
occurring and what it means for them," Garbett says. If they
are feeling insecure or stressed because they don't know
what's happening with the company, they won't perform at
their maximum levels, and they could hinder the company's
recovery and future development.

Don't hide bad news or pretend things are better than they
are--your employees will see through any smokescreen. "If the
owner is saying that everything is okay, but in fact it's not,
everybody is going to know it's not," says Garbett. Be
sure your staff understands what the situation really is, what the
future possibilities are, and what you expect them to do if the
company's going to get through the crisis. Keep in mind, most
people become emotionally attached to their workplace and
colleagues, and trouble in that arena can affect them as much as a
personal crisis, such as a divorce or a death in the family.

You don't need to be able to distinguish true clinical
depression from the occasional bad day, but you should be alert to
potential problems, says Patricia Weik, a consultant, clinical
psychologist and lawyer with RHR International Co., a management
consulting company in Wood Dale, Illinois.

Weik says symptoms of depression include feelings of sadness, a
loss of concentration, excessive crying, changes in eating habits,
loss of energy, guilty thoughts, a sense of worthlessness or
hopelessness, thoughts of suicide or even, in some cases, of
homicide. If you suspect an employee is suffering from one or more
of these symptoms, Weik advises addressing the situation in a
direct manner. Talk to the employee privately; say you've
noticed some symptoms and encourage him or her to seek appropriate
and qualified help. Don't try to be a counselor, but have
referral options ready and know what type of coverage your
insurance offers. If you're unsure about your local resources,
Weik says the psychiatry department of a reputable hospital is a
good place to start.

When talking with a troubled employee, avoid minimizing his or
her feelings. "A lot of people will want to back away from
this uncomfortable situation and say something like `It's not
that bad; things are okay.' What that does for a depressed
person is essentially tell them they're being ridiculous, that
things are not as bad as they think; and that gets them into
another negative spiral," says Weik. "You need to
normalize the process for them. Say `Yes, this is really a tough
situation, and most people would feel bad in your
shoes.' "

While encouraging employees to seek help for their depression,
don't ignore your own well-being. If you find yourself
experiencing any of the symptoms associated with depression, take
the time to seek help.

Breath Of Fresh Air

Indoor air pollution has become one of the main environmental
health threats of our day. How can you tell if you're suffering
from sick-building syndrome? Symptoms include headaches; eye, nose
or throat irritation; dry cough; dry or itchy skin; dizziness and
nausea; difficulty in concentrating; fatigue; and sensitivity to
odors. The causes include inadequate ventilation and chemical and
biological contaminants.

It's virtually impossible to remove all chemical and
biological contaminants, but increasing ventilation and air
cleaning is an effective way to deal with the problem. Alan Cohen
of Vornado Air Circulation Systems Inc., a manufacturer of air
circulators, air purifiers, humidifiers and heaters in Wichita,
Kansas, says installing air cleaners is a relatively inexpensive
way to reduce building-related illnesses and absenteeism, improve
productivity, and demonstrate to your employees that you care about
their well-being.

Cohen recommends choosing a high-efficiency unit that can change
the air in a given area four to six times per hour, so be sure to
know the cubic feet you're dealing with when shopping for an
air cleaner. Also consider the sound the machine makes; some models
are noisier than others, and workers may find it distracting. Air
cleaners can be purchased at most department stores, home and
building supply stores, and office supply stores. Cohen says prices
per unit typically range from $150 to $250.

Release Me?

Your lease is up for renewal. Should you sign a new one, or is
it time to buy your own building? Kale Gaston, southeast regional
vice president of GE Capital Small Business Finance in St. Louis,
offers these tips for making this important decision:

Consider the long-term impact on your business. This
calculation is easier for some businesses than others, says Gaston.
For example, if you're a manufacturer or distributor, it's
fairly simple to project future growth based on your past
performance. The process will take more thought and research for
retail or service companies. Points to consider include tax issues,
your plans for future expansion, how you manage fluctuating
business cycles and your plans for customizing the space.

If you're going to buy, decide between purchasing an
existing facility and building a new one. In a tight real
estate market where available inventory is limited, the costs may
be about equal. Certainly you'll save time by moving into an
existing space, and the initial cost outlays will likely be lower.
On the other hand, constructing a custom facility can enhance your
long-term productivity and efficiency, especially if your business
has unique needs such as loading docks, refrigeration, lab space
and so on.

Stash some space away. If you buy, be sure the facility
can accommodate your needs today and into the future. You may want
to "warehouse" some space for future expansion by buying
more than you need now and subletting the excess space until
you're ready to expand, Gaston says.

Talk to several lenders. Consult with your banker and
several other commercial lenders who are experienced with financing
real estate purchases for small businesses. Gaston says this is the
most important part of the decision-making process. "You need
a lender who understands what you do, can provide you with a loan
product that meets your needs and can grow with you as [your
business grows]," he says. A good lender will sit down with
you in the early stages of the process and help you with financial
analysis and forecasts, then work with you to put the package
together and secure the best possible loan terms. Real estate
brokers are usually able to refer you to appropriate lenders; you
can also check with your accountant and attorney.

Gaston says a small business typically begins to consider buying
real estate when it is about 5 years old. "In the start-up
stage, [businesses] need to be putting their equity contribution
and loan money into growing the business," he says.
"After they've leased for a while, and they're growing
and need more space, they'll buy a piece of real estate and
build an investment for the future rather than [paying increased]
rent."

Pros And Cons

Sooner or later, you'll have an applicant who answers
"yes" to the question "Have you ever been convicted
of a felony?" Should you reject that candidate? Not
necessarily, says Paul Salvatore, an employment law attorney and
partner with New York City law firm Proskauer Rose.

To develop a policy on hiring convicted criminals, Salvatore
advises beginning with a clear understanding of the applicable
legal requirements. Many states have laws prohibiting employers
from rejecting an applicant strictly on the grounds of a past
conviction. However, a criminal conviction may make an applicant
ineligible for a job that requires bonding or special
licensing.

"Once you understand the legal requirements that apply to
your business, you can assess whether the applicant is the right
person for the job," says Salvatore. This means considering
the conviction in the overall context of the applicant's
background, skills and abilities, and your staffing needs. For
example, you'd probably view a relatively recent armed robbery
conviction somewhat differently than a 20-year-old conviction for
marijuana possession.

Salvatore says one of the most common convictions employers
encounter on applications is driving while intoxicated. In that
case, some issues you'll want to keep in mind are whether the
person will be driving a company vehicle or driving his or her own
car on company business, and if he or she is insurable.

Unless you have a legal reason for doing so, a blanket policy of
excluding applicants with criminal records could expose you to
liability. It's always a good idea to be able to demonstrate a
legitimate reason for your hiring choices.

It's Better To Receive

When you don't issue your invoices in a timely manner,
payments are delayed and your cash flow suffers. If this problem
sounds familiar, you may want to consider outsourcing your
accounts-receivable function.

A small but growing number of firms are offering services that
include billing, posting payments and collections, or any part of
those functions. One of those firms is The Out$ource Group, an
alliance of five companies based in Columbia, Missouri, which
handles receivables. When choosing an outsourcing resource,
Out$ource vice president Bonnie Baker recommends going with a
company that is familiar with the type of work you do and has a
reputation you can verify. Discuss the various service packages the
company offers. Most services bill on a contingency basis, charging
you a percentage of what they collect, but some operate on a
fixed-rate basis (such as a fee per month or per account).
Calculate what you can save in labor, postage, telephone expenses
and other administrative costs, as well as the benefits you'll
gain from a more efficient system.

Finding a service to handle your accounts receivable may not be
easy; it's a relatively new type of service, and providers are
not always easy to identify. One place to start is with collection
agencies, many of which are diversifying their services and
offering accounts-receivable management. Some bookkeeping and
accounting services may also offer this service. You can also find
providers advertising in credit and collection trade
publications.

Though outsourcing allows you to shift the workload, Baker
stresses that it doesn't mean you can shed the ultimate
responsibility. "Accounts receivable can make or break a
company," Baker says. "We consider this a partnering
relationship. We don't want our clients to distance themselves
from the process once they set it up."

Eyes On The Prize

Business trendies have become preoccupied with thinking their
way out of the box; homebased business owners, on the other hand,
are trying to think their way in. Dun & Bradstreet's
(D&B) Business Solutions in a Box is just one of the prizes
luring home office owners to compete in the Homebased Entrepreneur
Challenge, a new contest sponsored by D&B and
Entrepreneur's HomeOffice magazine. Top awards include a
cash prize of $10,000, an IBM laptop computer, Proven Edge
Professional Edition Software, and Business Solutions in a Box,
with personalized problem solvers ranging from insurance and
financial services to marketing and risk management. George Martin,
executive vice president of mass marketing for D&B, calls
Business Solutions in a Box "an enabling program."

How do you qualify for the goodies? Simple. Just gripe to us. In
100 words or less, describe how you solved your biggest business
challenge, headache, nightmare, roadblock or black cloud. If our
panel of experts thinks your essay is the best, you could win
$10,000.

Two monthly winners--from November 1997 through March 1998--will
receive Business Solutions in a Box and a one-year subscription to
Entrepreneur's HomeOffice magazine. All entries must be
received by March 31, 1998. Official rules can be found at left; an
entry form is on the opposite page. For more information or to
receive an entry form, call (800) 357-7299, ext. 420.